This smile was something else this was Kevin's public face.

In Neil's files he had pictures of Kevin smiling alongside Riko, but most of those shots were taken after games when the pair looked more triumphant and condescending than anything. Kevin's smile was a brittle and bitter thing. In the four long months he'd known Kevin, he'd seen Kevin smile only once or twice before. 'It's good to see you again,' Kevin said, and smiled as he took her hand.Д«ehind Kathy's back, Dan feigned swooning into Matt's arms. Neil hoped it was just her makeup, because that couldn't be possible or natural. She looked more awake than even Wymack did. They were halfway to the building when Kathy herself came into the parking lot to greet them.

Abby followed them out and locked the bus doors behind her. He stood to one side of the door and handed out badges as the Foxes passed. The gate squealed as it opened and Wymack drove them to the employee parking lot. Wymack was back on a couple minutes later with a parking tag and a pile of guest badges. Neil watched out the window as he and the guard checked IDs and paperwork. Wymack parked by the security gate and got out to talk to the guard. It was fifteen more minutes to the two-storey building that housed Kathy Ferdinand's daily show. Dan, Matt, and Renee buzzed with excitement as the bus got on the road again. The coffee helped wake them up, as did the reminder they were about to meet one of the highest-rated talk show hosts in the nation. The Foxes munched on sausage biscuits and Dan's promised doughnuts. Neil wanted to ask why Kevin held onto it, but he didn't think either of them would explain.ДЄbby and Renee were back a minute later with bags of food and trays of drinks. Odd, Neil thought, that Kevin would have Andrew's medicine at all. Neil half-expected Andrew to give the bottle back, but Andrew shifted in his chair as he stuffed it in his own pocket. He and Wymack watched as Andrew tipped a pill into his hand and swallowed it dry. Kevin dug Andrew's medicine out of his pocket and handed the bottle over.

Wymack moved out of the way so Kevin could get to Andrew's seat. Kevin was only halfway through his lap, but he pivoted at the sound of his name and went back. 'Kevin,' Andrew said, moving for the first time since he'd slumped against the window. He looked half-asleep every time he passed Neil's seat.

Wymack the foxhole court